Expert thought

All this past year the CEMES foundation worked on a scholarly project, which examined the Ukrainian crisis from a theological, historical and canonical perspective, always in relation to the triptych: Primacy-Conciliarity-Autocephaly.

The Church of Greece came close to formalizing legal relations with the OCU. The couple has already tried to live together, household claims have not arisen, and now, finally, they are preparing to get a stamp in the passport.

Religious Studies

In the context of recent events in the Orthodox world, disputes over the boundaries of church institutions often arise between the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine accuses Russia of misappropriating the territory of the Kyiv Metropolis. In its turn, Moscow appeals to the fact that the ancient Kyiv Metropolis differs from the territory of modern Ukraine. RISU decided to clarify this topic, getting advice from historians. Based on this research, we prepared an infographic.

The first question that arises concerning Ukraine is this: with what right and based on which holy canons, does Russia today claim the ecclesiastical and administrative dependency of the Metropolis of Kyiv?

Calendar

UOC (MP)

A meeting of representatives of the religious community of the UOC-MP in the village of Kotyuzhyny in Ternopil region led by their pastor with the representatives of the OSCE monitoring mission in Ukraine, took place on September 5 on the premises of the village council of Velyky Viknyny, Zbarazhsky district.

The Crimean human rights group released a report entitled "Human rights in the context of militarization of Crimea", which lists the facts of human rights violations by Russian militaries and representatives of illegal paramilitaries in the territory of the annexed peninsula.

Leaders and representatives of Odessa Christian churches appealed to the mayor of Odessa Gennady Trukhanov asking not to allow the festival of queer culture “Odessa Pride 2017”, scheduled for August 8-13.

With the blessing of the head of the UOC-MP, Metropolitan Onufrii, clergymen of the Kyiv diocese visited the Ukrainian military who stay in captivity in the territories of Donbas that are uncontrolled by Ukrainian authorities, Religion in Ukraine has reported, citing the website of the UOC.

On July 29, in one of the units of the Border Service of the FSB of Russia in the Republic of Crimea Archpriest Dmytro Krotkov, chairman of the military department of Simferopol and Crimea Diocese of the UOC (MP) celebrated a prayer and sprinkled holy water on soldiers and their future shoulder straps with their subsequent ranks.

On August 31, 2016, Metropolitan Lazar also became an honorary guest of the celebration of the Russian Navy in Sevastopol. On board of the Admiral's boat he made a tour of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, blessing them with the right hand of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called that rests in Moscow. “Today, all ships of the Black Sea Fleet have been blessed with the right hand, which inculcated the bright faith of Christ in our Russian world. For more than 300 years our glorious fleet has won victories under St Andrew’s flag,” he said.

Statements of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) about the “harassment and persecution” that supposedly take place are “daydreaming being broadcast from Moscow”, which, in turn, considers the UOC (MP) as “a branch of the Russian Church.”

On July 27, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will hold a prayer service on St Volodymyr’s Hill and the religious procession on the central streets of Kyiv with the miraculous icons, and on July 28 a festive Divine Liturgy will take place on the square in front of the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

On June 18, 2017, Metropolitan Mytrofan of Luhansk and Alchevsk met with Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine and Deputy Coordinator of the OSCE Observer Group in the Lugansk region Almir Mehanovic at his work residence.

The event lasts almost a week, during which participants will be able to listen to lectures and advice from experts from Scotland, Poland, Italy, and the USA, to discuss and dialogue with each other within the specified topics.

On June 14, 2017, Administrator of the UOC (MP), Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanych) met with the Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti. It was reported by Information and Education Department of the UOC (MP).

The spokesman for the UOC-KP, Archbishop Yevstratii (Zorya) has spoken against banning the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine. He believes such a ban will be an invaluable gift to Moscow and might help it ignite a religious civil war in Ukraine.

Today, May 18, representatives of the UOC (MP) took to the Parliament to oppose changes to religious law. The protesters called them “anti-church laws.”In particular, Bill No 4128 (the procedure for jurisdiction change) and No. 4511 (on a special status for denominations whose centers are located in Russia).